used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When the music and dancing were over, it might be about four o'clock.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
dancedverbUS /dænst/
past form of “dance” — move in a graceful and rhythmical way
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
From this reading When the music and dancing were over, it might be about four o'clock.
dizzyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪzi/
having or causing a whirling sensation; liable to falling
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading When the music and dancing were over, it might be about four o'clock.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
gleenounUS /ɡliː/
great merriment
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
highest in quality
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
jumpingnounUS /ˈdʒʌmpɪŋ/
the act of participating in an athletic competition in which you must jump
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
immediately past
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
leapingnounUS /ˈliːpɪŋ/
a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
the act of departing
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
full of life and energy
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading When the music and dancing were over, it might be about four o'clock.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading When the music and dancing were over, it might be about four o'clock.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading When the music and dancing were over, it might be about four o'clock.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading When the music and dancing were over, it might be about four o'clock.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
a human being
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
the original amount of a debt on which interest is calculated
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
resistancenounUS /rɪˈzɪstəns/
the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
having a supporting base
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
tablesnounUS /ˈteɪbəlz/
plural of “table” — a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
having passed out of existence
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
at the time that
From this reading When the music and dancing were over, it might be about four o'clock.
whiffnounUS /wɪf/
a short light gust of air
From this reading They sat at table about two hours: the principal person then rang a little bell, and the tables and chairs all vanished in a whiff, leaving the company standing on their feet.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Every afternoon while he remained there he used to do the same; and, to the last hour of his life, he always spoke of it with the greatest glee.
whirledverbUS /wɜːrld/
past form of “whirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
whirlingnounUS /ˈwɜːrlɪŋ/
the act of rotating in a circle or spiral
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading And the pretty little girls that sat next John caught hold of him and whirled him about; and, without making any resistance, he danced with them for two good hours.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading The birds now struck up a most lively air, and the little people began to dance, jumping and leaping and whirling round and round, as if the world were grown dizzy.
